The third annual Oktoberfest happens at the Puyallup Fairgrounds Oct 5-7. If you visit with little ones, pass up the over-21 Biergarten and head for softer stuff in the Root Beer Garden. There’s traditional German music and dance and a Scandinavian Heritage Festival, too, but we’d visit for the food alone: pommes frites, schnitzel, handmade pretzels, bratwurst and strudel. Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-midnight, Sunday 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Free Friday from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., half-price on Sunday. Regular admission $8, children 12 and younger free. 425-283-5050, oktoberfestnw.com
It’s all about the kids on Saturday, Oct. 6, when Lacey hosts Children’s Day in Huntamer Park. Eric Haines performs a comedy-variety show (12:30 p.m.), kids can play in bouncy houses, Mad Science performs a stage show and there will be arts and crafts aplenty. It’s all free. Seventh Avenue Southeast and Woodland Square Loop, Lacey. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. 360-491-0857.
Oiva Toikka, who has designed more than a hundred glass birds for the Finnish design company Iittala, creates a new bird for the Museum of Glass every year. This year, he’s designed a red-winged blackbird, and you can celebrate at the avian-themed 4th Annual Iittala Bird Lovers Weekend, Oct. 12-14. On Friday, birds of prey from the Pt. Defiance Zoo will visit from 1-2 p.m., and on Saturday, take part in Family Day art activities, story times and another birds-of-prey visit. On Sunday, watch glass blowing demos in the Hot Shop. Free with admission: $4-$10, younger than 6 free. Friday, Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday noon-5 p.m., museumofglass.org
Free theater — we love it! Catch free open rehearsals, staged readings and other theater events at local venues (including Auburn Regional Theatre, Knutzen Family Theatre and Olympia Little Theatre) during Live Theatre Week, Oct. 15-21, and don’t miss Family Day on Oct. 20, when local performance groups offer a juicy variety of performances and activities for kids. Onstage: an open house and musical revue at Knutzen Family Theatre and a Holes artist meet-and-greet at Lakewood Playhouse. You’ll have to reserve free tickets online at seattleperforms.com , and check back often, because new events are being added all the time.
